Experts say just 240 seconds of conversation is enough for prospective partners to forge a meaningful bond.

Men make a good first impression if their conversation is focused mainly on the lady they are trying to woo, a study of nearly 1000 speed dates found. Ladies are also more likely to grant a second date if suitors use appreciative language, interrupt to show engagement in the conversation and discuss their hobbies.

In contrast, men looking for a love connection are easier to please - they prefer being taller, aspire to less conversation and are more likely to select thinner women.

The four-minute time period was found to be long enough to connect beyond mere looks.

"This is a situation in life where women have the power, women get to decide," said Associate Professor Dan McFarland, whose research has been published in the American Journal of Sociology.

"So talking about the empowered party is a sensible strategy toward feeling connected."

Asking a series of questions is a turn-off, the Stanford University research found, noting men with nothing to say and women trying to sustain a lagging conversation switch to "question asking mode".

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